Solo

The talented William Kanengiser, a member of the preeminent Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, returns to Hampton Roads as a solo artist this weekend. He'll perform at 8 tonight in the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, 2200 Parks Ave., Virginia Beach, and at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Williamsburg Regional Library Theatre, 515 Scotland St., Williamsburg. Both concerts are sponsored by the Tidewater Classical Guitar Society. Tickets are $12 general admission, $10 members and $8 students and seniors.

Indie rock songwriter Sam Beam considers family so important that, last fall, he pulled up stakes at his home of eight years near Austin, Texas, and relocated wife, kids and guitars to Durham, N.C. "All the grandparents were on the East Coast," said Beam, who performs and records under the band name Iron and Wine. "My wife's family is in Hampton. My folks are in South Carolina. So we split the difference. There are some good schools around here. " Having in-laws in Hampton isn't Beam's only Virginia connection, either.

Bruce Hornsby has been a globe-trotting musician in recent weeks. Last month, he attended the Sundance Film Festival in Utah with his old friend Spike Lee before jetting to Glasgow, Scotland, for the Celtic Connections festival. There, he met up with Dobro master Jerry Douglas and multi-instrumentalist Tim O'Brien for some lively unplugged jams. (Look them up on YouTube). For now, though, he's back on Virginia soil. The Williamsburg area resident plays a solo concert at the Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Solo shows are a fun challenge, Hornsby said.

In years past, sax man Branford Marsalis backed a rock star named Sting and added musical punch to Jay Leno's late-night talk show. These days, though, he's working for himself. What's he up to? He's playing undiluted, unbridled jazz. His new album, featuring the no-nonsense title of "Four MFs Playin' Tunes," features a hot, swinging quartet playing jazz in the classic fashion. In this case, though, that means fewer showboating solos and more group interplay. "The tune is more important than any individual solo or any idea of genius or innovation, all these false choices that I hear in the jazz world," Marsalis told National Public Radio last year.

Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas is taking a break from his multi-platinum band and trying out life as a solo artist. So far, life is good. His album "Something to Be" rocketed to the top of the charts last year. On Wednesday, he joins Jewel for a concert at Portsmouth's Harbor Center. Thomas says he's enjoyed his solo experiment, but he'll eventually reunite with his Matchbox buddies. "The solo life is easier, because it's more money and you control everything," he told the Palm Beach Post.

Pat Monahan of the Grammy award-winning rock band Train decided to go solo and he is taking his act on the road. He will rock The NorVa in Norfolk on Sunday at 8 p.m. with some of Train's hits, such as "Meet Virginia" and "Drops of Jupiter," as well as songs from his new solo CD. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of the show and can be purchased through Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.com, 671-8100.

Singer, songwriter Ben Folds has been very busy throughout the years with various bands and solo projects. Most people know him from his band Ben Folds Five that made it big in the late '90s with hits like "Brick" and "Song for the Dumped." His alternative rock solo hits have included "Rockin' the Suburbs," which ended up being featured in the animated movie "Over the Hedge." He will bring his fun and catchy tunes to The NorVa in Norfolk on Wednesday. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.

In a marathon contest that neither team could close out, the Durham Bulls finally beat the Peninsula Pilots 4-3 in 15 innings Sunday night. The game's start was delayed by rain, and the contest finally ended well past midnight, when Brian Kowitz drove a double to left-center field that scored Kevin O'Connor with the winning run. Peninsula starter Jeff Darwin turned in a strong performance, and the two teams were tied 1-1 late in the game....

Johnny Wiggs pitched a four-hitter to lead the Peninsula Pilots to a 5-1 victory in the second game of a doubleheader with Salem. The Pilots lost the first game 9-2. Wiggs (5-4) went the distance, striking out nine. Izzy Seda's two-run home run in the fourth inning gave the Pilots a 5-0 lead. Peninsula got on the board in the third inning when Lavell Cudjo's groundout scored Scott Bosarge. Then Ron Pezzoni hit an RBI single to score Darren Bragg. Wiggs had a shutout until the fourth inning, when Keith Osik hit a solo home run. Loser Tim McDowell went four innings.

Bruce Hornsby has been a globe-trotting musician in recent weeks. Last month, he attended the Sundance Film Festival in Utah with his old friend Spike Lee before jetting to Glasgow, Scotland, for the Celtic Connections festival. There, he met up with Dobro master Jerry Douglas and multi-instrumentalist Tim O'Brien for some lively unplugged jams. (Look them up on YouTube). For now, though, he's back on Virginia soil. The Williamsburg area resident plays a solo concert at the Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Solo shows are a fun challenge, Hornsby said.

What would Hall & Oates sound like without Daryl Hall? Folks at the Hilltop Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach will find out Friday, Aug. 5. John Oates will play a solo gig at the club with his own band. Earlier this year, Oates released his third solo album, "Mississippi Mile," which found him honoring — in a loose sense — the musical innovators of the Mississippi Delta. The disc mixes Oates originals with fresh interpretations of classics, creating an intersection of blues, R&B and pop. There's even a swinging, acoustic version of the Hall & Oates hit "You Make My Dreams Come True.

Shawn Colvin plans to start making a new record in September, so she must have a fresh batch of songs written and ready for the studio, right? "No, no, no," said Colvin, who will play a solo show at the Williamsburg Lodge on Friday, Feb. 25. "That's what this spring is about, getting those songs together. " Surely, an experienced, Grammy-winning artist like Colvin has ironed out all the wrinkles in her songwriting process so that she looks forward to creating with unbridled excitement.

Dexter Romweber, the rockabilly master of Flat Duo Jets fame, is coming back to Hampton Roads to play Bar None in Virginia Beach, tonight, appropriately enough, on Elvis Presley's birthday. Romweber, whose latest album found him singing a duet with the celebrated Cat Power, will perform in Virginia Beach with his old friend and former drummer, Crash LaResh, who lives and rocks locally. Cover will be $8. Bar None is at 5000 Cleveland St. Call 473-2220.

Head to the Ted Constant Convocation Center at 8 tonight to see an Eagle flying solo. Don Henley is best known as the driving force behind America's most popular country-rock band, but he also has a long string of solo hits to his credit. "The Boys of Summer," "Dirty Laundry" and "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" all made the Top 10, as did "The End of the Innocence," a tune co-written with Bruce Hornsby. Tickets to Henley's solo show are $47-$112 through CoxTix.com. The Constant Center is at 4320 Hampton Blvd.

Newport News guitarist and songwriter Bryan Forrest is a Poquoson boy to his core. He comes from a family with deep roots in what was once a quiet fishing village. To honor the community where his musical talent was nurtured, he named his personal record label Bull Island Bred Records. And while he may not live within the Poquoson town limits anymore, he'll always be connected. Which is why it's strange, in a way, that his first solo album, "Proverbial Shine," refuses to be tethered to any particular place.

Top: Marcus Gotte of Switzerland leads several students in a rendition of "Knocking on Heaven's Door." Bottom left: Jaques Bernard of Luxemberg exits his piano solo on a unicycle. Bottom right: Kianga Moore of Hampton, left, lip-syncs with Jenni Immanen of Finland.

What would Hall & Oates sound like without Daryl Hall? Folks at the Hilltop Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach will find out Friday, Aug. 5. John Oates will play a solo gig at the club with his own band. Earlier this year, Oates released his third solo album, "Mississippi Mile," which found him honoring — in a loose sense — the musical innovators of the Mississippi Delta. The disc mixes Oates originals with fresh interpretations of classics, creating an intersection of blues, R&B and pop. There's even a swinging, acoustic version of the Hall & Oates hit "You Make My Dreams Come True.

Going into the season, Heritage had so much uncertainty at quarterback that head coach Jason Robinson decided to go without one. At least for a while. He called it "The Trio Set," with three tailbacks lined up side-by-side-by-side about 5 yards behind center. He went with it for one series last week against Menchville, and then sophomore quarterback Andrew Warren came in. Warren immediately led the Hurricanes to a touchdown, which he scored on a 45-yard run. He ended up completing 2 of 5 passes for 42 yards and ran for another 56. It was the debut Robinson was hoping for out of a young quarterback who he believes has big-time potential.

Singer, songwriter Ben Folds has been very busy throughout the years with various bands and solo projects. Most people know him from his band Ben Folds Five that made it big in the late '90s with hits like "Brick" and "Song for the Dumped." His alternative rock solo hits have included "Rockin' the Suburbs," which ended up being featured in the animated movie "Over the Hedge." He will bring his fun and catchy tunes to The NorVa in Norfolk on Wednesday. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.